So as not to derail another thread: does your dog need to bring you toys when you come in?

[Cinnamontoast]

And what breed/cross/type is he or she? We were talking about springers and labs needing to bring toys and wondering if it’s the gundog instinct or just a need to have something in their gob (precursor to play/gift?)

 

[Roxylola]

Springer does, hound doesn't- both know their stereotype apparently

 

[blackcob]

Small dog (schipperke) does, must have something in his gob at all times and spends his days ferrying the precious objects back and forth between various hoards. Sibes never that I can recall.

 

[Annette4]

Fizz whippet does....Dobby (whippet x saluki) and Ginny (pug x terrier) don't.

 

[Spotherisk]

Senior lab did, her daughter doesn’t. Other lab also doesn’t. Cocker doesn’t either. Whippetty thing barely lifts his head off whatever is his soft furnishing if choice when we come home.

 

[YorksG]

Butterscotch lab loves to carry a toy around at home, black one not that bothered, but the black one will carry a ball whenever she's out on a walk. The baby brown girl hasn't quite decided yet.

 

[Petalpoos]

Curly coat retriever. Always brings me a toy or bone or whatever when I come in.

Rather interestingly, I have noted that if someone has previously brought her a toy or bone, she will usually go and dig that toy/bone out of her collection and bring it to them.

I used to have a lab who would fetch my hand for me if he couldn’t find anything to actually pick up.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

This is interesting. Do all of you have toys freely available? Mine have multiple toys they can pick up as they choose. There’s never any bother, the puppies playfight, Mitch has 2 things stuffed in his gob, Goose just fetches multiple toys in then falls asleep with his head on them. Bear brings a toy but is never allowed to keep it.

 

[Archangel]

Lab x Rotti obviously has some instinct to bring me something, but doesn't quite join up the dots.

She is very careful with her toys and never chews them. She has a large toy snake (called Hiss), if we go away, Hiss comes with us.

 

[Petalpoos]

Mine has a large collection, including some that she has collected on walks and brought home. They are all ‘hers’ and she can do as she wishes with them, including disembowelling the squeakers and fluff or generally pulling them apart. This can happen many months into ownership, when the fancy takes her!

 

[Escapade]

My old golden retriever always brought a gift, usually a cushion from the couch. She would run around the house searching if nothing suitable was to hand, rather than arrive up one arm as long as the other 😂
Lurcher doesn't, only ever carries things she's pilfered 🙄 She does an excellent helicopter impression instead

 

[Moobli]

My working line GSDs don’t being me a toy but usually grab a ball on rope or tug toy once they’ve said their hellos so we can have a game.

 

[Nicnac]

When I get home from work and pull up in the car, springer is on the bay windowsill watching my car with a present for me. Always has to have something to bring me and when I come down in the mornings too (yes I'm one of those horrible owners that doesn't allow dogs upstairs).

He doesn't have to bring me a toy, it could be a leaf from the garden or a piece of cardboard - whatever he finds first basically! When we go out to yard he takes something to the horses too!

When I had the flatties one brought presents, the other wasn't bothered.

 

[YorksG]

Dad's elderly black lab had a washing basket full of toys, which she had shared with her sister. She had two reindeer, which she kept to give to visiting dogs. She gave them to the visiting Dalmatian and staffy and then to the rotters when they were little.

 

[Zoeypxo]

Alaskan malamute climbs up the windowsill when i arrive .. 50% of the time has a toy/bone she wants to show me, other times just wants a fuss. Also pounces on mole holes on walks .. caught a mouse and ate it in one chomp the other day. She is 9 now and in the last 12 months seems to have turned into a huntress

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Lab x Rotti obviously has some instinct to bring me something, but doesn't quite join up the dots.

She is very careful with her toys and never chews them. She has a large toy snake (called Hiss), if we go away, Hiss comes with us.

I’m just debating what to take when we go up north. The 4 new toys have been thoroughly ragged around. They don’t care what state toys are in. They are all destroyed very quickly because they playfight with them, but they still hold value. Last week’s high value’toy’ was a filthy piece of material from a ripped up toy.

 

[Michen]

Yep, if my springer is lying down on her bed and I engage eye contact sufficiently, she will (if in the room) collect her stuffed turtle that a friend gave her to bring me before coming over for a pat.

She's a funny little thing, comes over and has a quick pat then immediately goes and lies back down. She doesn't want anything long winded, just a little reminder she's loved then back to her snoozing.

When she's outside in "play" mode she can be a bit insessent, presenting anyone who will engage with her with anything. Blade of grass, stone. If you ignore her she gently lays it on your knee and then looks up at you like the most abused, sad little dog you've ever seen. She had about 5 people "working" for her in a pub garden the other day.

 

[Umbongo]

Border collie, but was not the smartest. Fetch was his most favourite thing to do.
He used to bring me all his toys whenever I came inside and put them all in a big pile by the front door.

His favourite was a soft hedgehog which he would carry around and lick. Never chewed it. I threw it away when it got a bit gross and he seemed really upset. So I went out and bought about 10 more to have as spare in a cupboard!

 

[Bradsmum]

Lakeland/border terrier always meets you with a particular squeaky ball. If he can't find it (under the sofa or some such) he grabs a bouncy ball. He offers it but doesn't really want you to have it but if you do get it, it is great excitement until you throw it back. It can be a little tiring when you're trying to get wet coats and boots off in the winter but must be done.

 

[Caol Ila]

As a non-dog person, I find this behaviour fascinating. Is there an ethological reason for it? Is it appeasement behaviour that comes from wolves, like younger/lower ranking wolves bringing a boss wolf some tidbit?

 

[Birker2020]

9yr old beagle bitch always has something in her mouth to greet me with whether its a sock, empty toilet roll, price label lol

 

[planete]

None of our terriers or hounds have ever shown this behaviour, even the ball obsessed lurcher who sings a welcome instead.

 

[EllenJay]

Interesting question. My old, long departed, Springer always had to bring a toy to you. If he couldn’t find one quickly he used to pull a rug over to you.

My Norfolk terrier (rescue) doesn’t ever bring a toy over - but once she has killed the toy she has no further interest in it. Also, when I got her she didn’t know how to play.

Now my Cocker x JRT (rescue) sometimes brings me a toy and sometimes she doesn’t. I suppose it depends what cross is being dominant on the day

 

[CanteringCarrot]

My Lab almost always has to grab something before greeting you. It's just whatever toy is available. Never a non-toy item. She has a small box of toys freely available. She's pretty gentle on her plush toys and often carries those around. She's currently sleeping with her head on her sloth. She's also fallen asleep/nodded with one in her mouth.

 

[EllieBeast]

Ivy does, and also every time she’s been told off for something or if anyone else in the house has been told off 😂 she’s a German Longhaired Pointer and is a trained gundog.
Right from the start she’s always been praised for bringing us absolutely anything. So if she brings us something, she’s automatically a ‘good girl’ again and she’s a massive teachers pet 😂

 

[Red-1]

We have 2 nondescript terrier crosses. One would appear to be cross chihuahua, he brings toys or just prostrates himself at your feet. The other is more a border cross, he pees on your foot - at least he did. After 8 years of ownership he seems to have extinguished that habit!

 

[Archangel]

I’m just debating what to take when we go up north. The 4 new toys have been thoroughly ragged around. They don’t care what state toys are in. They are all destroyed very quickly because they playfight with them, but they still hold value. Last week’s high value’toy’ was a filthy piece of material from a ripped up toy.

I never really thought about why I pack Hiss., I just scoop him up with the bed. I guess I thought she might need something familiar in a new place, even though she is used to hotels and loves staying away.

 

[Ratface]

Years ago, I had an Afghan Hound and a German Shepherd Dog. They worked together as an efficient pair of thieves.
GSD would do the opening of the door/pantry by grasping handle and turning it/ wacking the latch down and holding it there. Afghan Hound would push the door open with a feathery foot. Afghan Hound would wedge a thin nose behind the fridge handle and pull it open. GSD would select the goodies. Always left the milk and butter, though. How kind. Afghan Hound would bring me sausage skins, GSD would bring me bones. GSD would bring balls back, if thrown. Afghan would run off, become selectively deaf and run in demented circles until it flopped with exhaustion. He then had to be carried home round my neck, through the village. He thought he was the King of all he surveyed . . . The villagers thought that I was . . . unusual.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Our black Lb has been known to fall asleep with a ball in her mouth, while the yellow runs up to me when I am sitting on the settee, with a toy in her mouth and push it in my face, as if expecting me to open my mouth and take the toy from her. Funnily enough I don't

 

[Clodagh]

As a non-dog person, I find this behaviour fascinating. Is there an ethological reason for it? Is it appeasement behaviour that comes from wolves, like younger/lower ranking wolves bringing a boss wolf some tidbit?

Idk but Google says…
All dogs will bring you a toy, either by instinct or when trained to do so. He may bring you a toy because he is trying to please his alpha, as a sign of trust, to gain your attention, to show trust, to ask you to play, or to release some energy. By accepting his gift with a smile, you are encouraging his behavior.

And we with ours do encourage it as they are gundogs, so from puppies anything they bring is praise, from your new iPhone to a rotten bone.